Chair



March 11, 1941. B. ULINE EI'AL CHAIR Filed Jan. 24, 1938 INVENTORS 552M420 (/Z//Vfi P404 J (Au/vi:

ATTORNEY-5.

Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE CHAIR Bernard Ulinc andPaul J. Uline,,Nappanee, Ind.

Application January 24, 1938, Serial No. 186,543

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in chairs.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel folding chair construction which is simple in construction and comfortable in use.

A further object is to provide a folding chair having an adjustable back, operable by a person while seated therein.

A further object is to provide a folding chair having a shiftable back which may be tilted forwardly above the chair seat to protect the seat when not in use, but without requiring complete folding of the chair.

A further object is to provide a novel inexpensive resilient supporting structure for a chair.

A further object is to provide a chair having front legs and a seat, with an elongated substantially straight resilient member extending rearwardly and downwardly from the front of a seat and supporting a member depending below the rear of the seat.

A further object is to provide a folding chair with a resilient support accommodating rocking.

Other objects will be apparent from the description and appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a folding chair in operative position with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the chair partially folded to protect the seat, and illustrating folded position of the legs in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the chair back positioning means.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view looking up at the bottom of theseat fromthe front.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of a modified chair supporting construction.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a folding chair constituting. a modified embodiment of our invention.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a non-folding chair constituting a modified embodiment of our invention. 4

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of our invention as applied to a folding type of chair, numeral l0 designates the side rails of the frame of the seat of the chair. Rails ID are rigidly interconnected by a rear transverse cleat ii, and by a transverse cleat t2 (Fig. 4) at the front which is preferably rotatable. A pair of legs it are pivotally connected at M at their upper ends to the front ends of seat rails HI, and are rigidly interconnected by transverse cleats l5. A foldable brace 16 extends diagonally between intermediate portions of legs l3 and seat rails H] to normally brace and lock said legs and rails in predetermined operative angular position.

Side bars I! of a seat back are pivotally connected to the rear ends of seat rails Ii! at [8 in spaced relation above the lower ends thereof. The side bars I! are rigidly connected at their upper ends by a transverse cleat l9, and at their lower ends by a transverse cleat 20, which is preferably part round. The spacing of cleat 26 below pivot l8 thereof is substantially less than the length of legs l3.

A pair of elongated, straight leaf spring members 2! are secured at their ends adjacent the ends of front seat cleat l2, and extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. The opposite ends ofspring members preferably terminate'in downwardly off-set arcuate bearing portions 22,, and are rigidly interconnected by a cross brace 23'. The members 2| underlie and support the lower cleat at an intermediate portion of said members and in spaced relation above the floor or surface upon which the chair rests. Stops 2d are fixedly secured to the upper faces of spring members 2| in predetermined position located forwardly of the normal point of engagement of cleat 20' therewith as illustrated in Fig; 1.

A- pair ofarm. rests 25 are pivoted at 26' ad-ja cent their rear ends to the. side bars Hof the back in spaced relation above pivot I8. The arm rests 25 are pivoted at 21 adjacent their front endsto the upper ends of supports 28 which are pivoted to the seat and legs at It. The spacing between pivots I4 and 21 is substantially equal to the spacing between pivots l8 and 26; and the spacing between pivots 25 and 21 is substantially equal to the spacing between pivots l4 and It; whereby the seat rails I0, back, side bars l'l', arm rests 25, and arm rest supports 28 constitute a substantial parallelogram.

A pair of elongated metal braces 30 are pivoted at 3| at their-forward ends to the legs I3 in slightly spaced relation above pivot M. The braces 38 have their major width faces substantially vertically disposed, and the lower edges" thereof adjacent the rear ends thereof are provided with a plurality of spaced notches 32- delined by forward curved edges 33 merging withthe lower brace edge and by rear straight diagonal edges 34 forming an acute angled shoulder with the lower brace edge, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. Braces 30 extend generally diagonally rearwardlyand upwardly from their pivot 3-1,

fort.

and are bent at 35 and 36 adjacent the pivot 3| and the notched rear end portion respectively, whereby the notched rear end portion is substantially horizontally positioned in use, asbest illustrated in Fig. 1, for purposes to be hereinafter set forth. At its rear end, each arm rest 25 has a U-shaped bracket 31 rigidly secured to its under side with the legs of said bracket extending downwardly from said arm rest. A cross piece 38 is rigidly secured to and extends between the lower ends of the bracket legs in substantially spaced relation below arm rest 25. The brace 30 extends through bracket 31, and bracket cross piece 38 is adapted to snugly but releasably seat in one of the notches 32.

A sheet 39 of cloth, such as canvas, extends transversely of the seat rails I0, the same being passed around the rails and secured to the inner sides thereof, with the center portion extending between the upper edges of the rails. A second sheet of similar material is secured to the cleat l2 atone end, said sheet being passed around said cleat, thence extending rearwardly to overlie sheet 39, and thence extending loosely upwardly with its upper end secured to cleat Hi.

When operatively positioned for use, the parts are arranged as illustrated in Fig. .1, with brace Hi'locking seat frame H) in fixed angular relation to legs l3, the adjustment of the back frame and arm rest assembly being locked in desired adjustment relative to the seat frame by the locked adjustment of brace 3|] with the cross piece of bracket 31, and with the rear portion of the chair supported on members 2|. By swaying slightly backwardly and forwardly, a user seated on the chair may obtain a rocking movement by flexing of spring members 2| as is well understood. The member 2| rocks upon its arcuate rear support 22 incident to the periodic flexing of the spring to obtain the rocking action, thus eliminating sliding of the member 2| on the ground or the floor.

When the user of the chair desires to adjust the back to a reclining position, he may do so while remaining seated by raising braces 30 clear of cross piece 38, and then leaning backwardly until the desired back angle is reached, whereupon the brace 3!) may be released for seating of the adjacent brace notches 32 on the cross pieces 38. The substantially horizontal positioning of the notched rear portion of the brace 30 permits this adjustment without interference from arm rests 25. Likewise, the sliding of lower back frame cleat 20 on spring member 2| while supporting the weight of the user. coupled with the pivoting of the arm rest assembly to accommodate the inclination of the back, serves to slightly retard the reclining movement of the backs to afford control of the degree of inclining adjustment of the back; while the sto s 24 prevent rearward tilting of the back beyond the endof brace 30 or to-such a point where the chair would rearwardly collapse. When the user desires to adjust the chair back forwardly to a more nearly upright position. he may do so while seated by leaning forward slightly and pushing forwardly on the arm rests. which forwardly shifts the upper end'of the back rest frame and causes the curved edges 33 of the brace notches to freely ride over cross pieces 38 until the desiredadjustment is effected. Thus the device enables a user to effect any adjustment of the chair desired, while remaining seated therein, by

a'simple operation which requires but little ef- It will, of course, be understood that the back adjustment may be incorporated in a folding chair of the rigid or non-rocking type by simply f'orming the diagonal supports 2| of rigid or non-resilient material.

Folding chairs of this type are largely used out of doors, and hence are subject to rapid discolorationor sun fading, and rapidly become objectionably dirty. The instant construction permits the back frame to be folded forwardly whereby the upper end of the sheet 40 overlies the seat portion and is in substantially inverted position,

as illustrated in Fig. 2. To effect this adjust;

ment it is only necessary to tilt the back frame forwardly after arising from the chair, the curved 'nctch edges 33 sliding over cross piece 38 without retarding such forward tilting. Thus, the chair may remain in any desired location without danger of dirtying or discoloring the normally exposed face of sheet 40, and is ready for use by merely tilting the, back frame rearwardly, since the legs l3, seat frame In and diagonal support 2| remain in operative upright supporting relation. To completely fold the chair, it is only necessary to pivot folding brace l6 after the back is forwardly tilted, whereby all parts may move to compact substantially parallel relation. For the purpose of the partial and complete folding above described, the front cleat |2 of the seat frame to which member 2| is secured-is rotatable.

' It may be desired in some instances to construct the chair-with means for simplifying movement thereof from place to place. For this purpose the free lower rear ends of diagonal supporting members may be secured to the cross piece 4| of a' U-shaped frame member Whose arms 42 extend upwardly and journal wheels 43, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Such an arrangement accommodates positioning of the rear ends of members 2| sufficiently low to give the necessary inclination of said member without sacrifice of the length of such member as might render the same unstable upon application of rearward tilting stress. At thesame time, the wheels roll incident to springing of said member, and the cross piece 4| affords the same lateral stability and reinforcement of members 2| as is afforded by cross brace 23.

While the above described folding chair construction is preferred, the elongated inclined resilient supporting member may be used in other types of folding chairs, as illustrated in Fig. 6. In this construction, legs have pivoted thereto at 5|, intermediate their ends, the front of a seat frame 52. The upper ends of legs 58 are pivoted at 53 to the front ends of arm rests 54. Therear end of seat frame 52 carries brackets 55 which are pivoted to the side bars 56 of the chair back in spaced relation above the lower ends of said bars. Side bars 56 are provided with elongated slots 51 therein for receiving pivot members 58 which mount the rear ends of arm rests 54. A folding brace 59 is connected with bars 56 of the back by pivot member 58 at one end, and is pivoted to seat frame 52 at its opposite end. A transverse cleat 60 is secured between the lower ends of bars 56 of the back. A pair of straight elongated leaf spring members 6| are pivotally connected to the front of seat frame 52 and extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. Cleat 60 rests upon spring members 6| intermediate the ends of said springs, and at the lower ends of said springs 6| are supported by wheels 62. The same supporting and interconnecting arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5 may be used with this construction.

Thus, this modified type of chair is supported by front legs and inclined resilient members engaged by a part depending below the rear of the seat frame, as in the previously described construction; and the same vertical rocking chair action may be obtained through the substantially straight elongated inclined springs. At the same time, the pivotal connection of the parts normally reinforced by foldable brace 59, coupled with the pivotal connection of spring Bl to seat frame 52, accommodates complete and compact folding of the chair upon pivoting of brace 59, as will be readily apparent.

The resilient chair mounting may also be applied with equal advantage to non-folding chairs, as illustrated in Fig. '7. Thus, chair seat and back 66 form a rigid unit supported at its forward end by legs 61. Frame members 68 depend from this unit at the rear of seat 65 a distance less than the length of legs 61, and are interconnected at their lower ends by transverse cleat 69. The front ends of a pair of substantially straight elongated leaf springs 10 are rigidly secured to the seat bottom adjacent the forward end thereof and extend rearwardly downwardly therefrom to support cleat 69 intermediate their ends. The rear ends of the springs 10 are rigidly interconnected by a cross brace H which is preferably secured at a downwardly off-set arcuate end bearing portion 12 of said springs, said portions 12 constituting a bearing upon which the springs may rock incident to flexure of the springs to prevent sliding of said springs upon the floor.

In all constructions utilizing the inclined leaf spring support for a transverse member spaced below the chair seat, a suitable strap 15 or the like, asillustrated in Fig. 7, may loosely encircle the transverse member and the leaf spring to hold said parts together conveniently and at the same time permit sliding of one relative to the other to accommodate the rocking action, and also to accommodate the back adjustment and complete folding in the folding type of chair.

We claim:

1. A chair comprising a seat, front legs, a resilient member secured to the front of the seat and inclined rearwardly downwardly therefrom, and seat supporting means depending from the rear of said seat and resting on said resilient member between the ends of said member to slide on the resilient member upon flexing there of.

2. The construction of claim 1, wherein said resilient member terminates in a downwardly off-set curved portion at its lower end on which said member rocks incident to flexing.

3. A chair comprising a seat, legs supporting the front of said seat, a pair of spaced, elongated resilient members secured to the front of said seat and extending rearwardly downwardly therefrom in substantially parallel relation, means rigidly interconnecting the lower end portions of said resilient members, and rigid means projecting below the rear of said seat and including a rigid transverse member spaced below said seat and bearing on said resilient members intermediate the ends of the latter to slide on said resilient members incident to. flexing thereof.

4. A chair comprising a seat, front legs, an elongated supporting member secured to the front of said seat and inclining rearwardly downwardly therefrom, said supporting member being vertically resilient, rigid means depending from the rear of said seat and bearing on an intermediate portion of said supporting member, and means connecting said rigid means and supporting member against separation, said last named means accommodating sliding of said rigid means longitudinally of said supporting member incident to flexing of said supporting memher.

5. A folding chair, comprising a seat, legs pivoted to the front of said seat, a back pivoted to the rear of said seat and extending therebelow, means for locking said seat, legs and back in operative angular relation, and an elongated resilient member secured to the front of the seat and extending rearwardly downwardly therefrom, the lower end of said back bearing on an intermediate portion of said resilient member.

,6. The construction defined in claim 5, wherein said resilient member is pivotally connected to said seat.

'7. A folding chair, comprising a seat, legs pivoted to the front of said seat, a folding brace between said legs, and seat, a back pivoted to the rear of said seat and extending therebelow, means for locking said back in desired angular relation to said seat, and an elongated resilient support secured to the front of said seat and extending rearwardly downwardly therefrom, said back resting on an intermediate portion of said support.

8. A chair comprising a seat, legs supporting the front of said seat, an elongated resilient support secured to the front of said seat and extending rearwardly downwardly therefrom, a back pivoted to the rear of said seat and extending 

